Inter Milan maintained their four-point lead at the top of Serie A and extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with victory over 10-man Leece.
Yann Bisseck headed home a free-kick just before half-time, thereafter, Nicolo Barella latched onto a Marko Arnautovic backheel to seal the win late on before Leece’s Lamecka Benda then saw red for dissent in the 83d minute.
Inter had seen their lead cut to one point earlier in the day when Juventus secured a late win at Frosinone.
Kenan Yildiz had put Juventus ahead in the 12th minute, but Jaime Baez equalised just before the hour mark.
Serbian Forward Dusan Vlahovic then secured the three points with nine minutes of normal time remaining, as Juventus opened up a seven-point gap on third-placed AC Milan, who were held to a draw at Salernitana on Friday.
Arnautovic was making his first start of the season for Inter Milan, after an injury to Lautaro Martinez, and he told DAZN:
“They know I am in a difficult moment, we speak every day. I started the season with an assist, but then I remained six weeks out.”
“It’s been difficult to recover, but now I am getting close to my best. They see it, they talk to me every day, but it’s not an easy moment. I can only thank the club, my team mates and the fans.”
The Serie A continues over the Christmas period just like the Premeir League – unlike leagues in Spain, Germany and France – with games next taking place on 29 December.
Inter is set to face Genoa next at the Luigi Ferrari stadium, while Simone Inzaghi will be hoping to have his players prepared for such clutch encounter if they hope to lift the Scudetto in May.Â
